The Cupid Effect
by Raven524
Summary: Having dealt with one demi-god already, how much harder could a god be? SPOILER WARNING This take place in Season 3 after episode 3.11, so if you haven't seen Season 3 yet, you may not want to read this.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Summary:** Having dealt with one demi-god already, how much harder could a god be? _**SPOILER WARNING**_ This take place in Season 3 after episode 3.11.

Raven524: Don't worry, I'm still working on my other story, but just couldn't resist putting this together as a special Valentine's day gift for all those who have been reading and responding to my stories over the past couple of years. So on this day of "chick-flick" moments, I thought I'd reach out to say thanks! Besides, someone had to come up with a reason for Sammy to be dreaming about Bella—it just wasn't natural, was it?

**THE CUPID EFFECT**

**Chapter 1 – Strange Bed Fellows**

Sam sat in the crowded coffee shop, oblivious to the frilly valentine hearts dangling from the ceiling as well as adorning the walls and windows. His eyes were glued to the screen, reading the latest information he had found on deal making with demons. Ever since Dean had admitted he wanted to live, he had redoubled his efforts trying to find an answer. Dean had been sleeping when he left to grab some coffee. Even though his brother said he wanted to live, he also made it clear, he still would not help. It seems his big brother would not do anything to risk Sam forfeiting his own life to save his.

A soft buzzing in his pocket disturbed Sam's thoughts as he pulled out his cell phone. "Hey Bobby—any word yet on Bella?" Ever since the episode with the witches, Ruby had not made an appearance and now Bella had absconded with the only weapon that could possibly help when they came for Dean. Sam knew in the end, he would place himself between the demon holding the contract and his brother. It would be nice to have something in his pocket that could kill the beast, hopefully ending the contract. But now…Sam jerked up as he heard Bobby's irate voice.

"…And you haven't heard a single word I've said. I don't know why I bother lately, between your brother's hidin' his head up his backside and you hidin' yours in that computer—I'd have better luck talkin' to a stone." Bobby exhaled on the other end of the phone, clearly frustrated with the younger Winchester boy.

"I'm sorry Bobby, it's just—we're running out of time and all I can think about is--now Dean wants to live and I can't do anything to save him." Sam's voice hitched slightly, the agony of his position clear in his voice.

The voice on the other end of the line softened slightly, "Listen boy, we still have time. But we won't have anything if you boys don't get that gun back. Now I found out from a reputable source, Bella is staying at the home of a friend of hers, not far from where you're at now." Sam listened and took down the address, a smile appearing on his face for the first time in days. It had only been a couple of days since they had done their dream walking, but none of them had taken any time to rest.

"Thanks Bobby—I mean it man. I don't know what we'd do…" Sam left the sentence open ended, unwilling to voice the emotion. He didn't need to, Bobby understood.

"Never mind, just get that brother of yours and get the gun back." Bobby ordered gruffly in a tone that normally would have set Sam on edge as it reminded him of his father. But his mind was too full of finding the colt to worry about being ordered about like he was sixteen again.

"I'll let you know what happens Bobby—Thanks!" Sam jumped slightly as a newspaper was dropped on the table in front of him. Hazel eyes glanced up and watched as his brother lowered himself into the chair opposite him, a cup of coffee lazily held in one hand, eyebrow cocked as he took a sip.

"So you were going to let me sleep all morning Sammy?" Dean asked softly, his eyes scanning his younger brother even as he reached for the muffin Sam had bought but not eaten.

"Well it looks like your little _beauty sleep_ did you some good, besides your snoring made it hard to concentrate!" Sam remarked, glancing at the paper on the table, the question clearly in his eyes.

"Fine, well while you were sitting here in this god awful place—jeez Sammy, how much more girly can you get?" Dean nodded at the red and pink hearts spread throughout the café, shuddering as he continued pointing to the circled article in the newspaper. "I think I've found our next hunt…"

Sam glanced at the headline and groaned slightly. "Seriously dude—'Valentines Day Massacre' how could that possibly be something we need to check out?" It sounded like a publicity stunt of some sort to him.

Dean huffed slightly before picking up the paper. "Ok Sammy, I guess the fact that 10 loving fiancés dying shortly after becoming a 'couple' isn't all that strange…" Dean paused, raising his eyebrow, "or the fact they were all killed, sometimes by their significant other or by a close friend or family member who goes into some kind of jealous rage… oh and the best part, the surviving member of the 'couple' ends up dying a few days later… yeah, I'm sure it's just your normal everyday murder spree…"

Dean sat back, crossing his arms and waited as his brother processed the information. Sam had to admit, it was odd. He pulled the paper closer and read the article. One of the accused murders denied they hadn't even met the girl that was killed until a few days before the incident. Even his brother backed him up saying it was like he had been possessed or something..."Ok, Dean I see your point, but I also have some news—something you might want to take care of before we look into this."

"So spill Sammy—what have you found?" Dean sipped his coffee, his face carefully neutral.

Sam knew his brother was worried he wanted to talk about the deal. But Sam had already decided he was not going to tell Dean if they came up with a solution…better to keep him in the dark. "Oh, nothing—Bobby just called and gave me the address where Bella is staying. But if you'd rather solve the St. Valentines Day Massacre—we can do that first…"

Dean jumped to his feet, almost knocking the chair over as he pulled out his keys. "Why the hell didn't you say something as soon as I came in here?"

Sam just shook his head as he gathered his things and followed his brother out the door. It seemed they would be visiting Bella first. Of course, in a way it didn't miss his notice that the town Bella was staying in and the one where the killings were currently taking place were one in the same. He wondered if they'd get lucky and maybe she'd be one of the next lucky victims—but as soon as he thought it the dream he'd had back in Bobby's hotel room came back and sucked his breath from his lungs.

"_It had to be coincidence right?"_ Sam thought, dismissing the cold fingers of dread running down his spine as he got in beside his brother.

"What's wrong Sammy?" Dean had noticed his brother's sudden change in mood.

"Ah—nothing—just wondering how we are going to get the drop on her. She always seems to be two steps ahead of us Dean. I mean, she must know we'd be coming after her…" Sam hedged, not wanting to voice his concerns. Because, hell there was no way he was going to tell Dean he had a wet dream about Bella—nope Hell would definitely have to freeze over first.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Dean thumped his fingers against the steering wheel in time to the tape playing on the radio. His mind already working out how they were going to get to Bella; a feral smile crossed his lips as he envisioned thwarting her at her own game. He had to admire her bravado in a way, but damn it that chick had to get her priorities straight. What good would money do her if the demons won this war?

He glanced at Sam and smiled as his brother continued to type away on the computer. Ever since he had told him he wanted to live, his brother seemed to relax slightly. Yes, Sam was still worried about him, but the total despair in his little brother's eyes had been replaced with a new quiet determination. Dean didn't want to let it, but a small bubble of hope had grown somewhere in his heart. Even Ruby's dire words couldn't quell it as it continued to grow.

He didn't know how, but one thing he did know. If there was a way to beat this deal, Sammy would find it. The only thing Dean worried about was the cost. He had made it clear to his little brother that trading himself or making a deal was out of the question. He'd rather go through with the current deal than lose Sam that way. But Sam had made him promise, if they did get him out of the deal, he had to agree if it ever happened again—he'd let his brother go.

It had been hard, but Dean finally realized his brother was right. There never had been any guarantee that either one of them would live to see old age. In fact, the odds were definitely not in their favor. To think either one of them could always 'save' the other was foolish and self destructive. It took a crazy Dream Walker to finally make him see how screwed his perceptions had been. Yes, he would do whatever it took to keep his little brother safe—hell, it was a little late to reprogram that part of his psyche. But finally, he realized it worked both ways and if for some reason the inevitable happened; neither one of them would have failed the other.

"Hey Dean, I've been doing some research into your other hunt—I mean since it's in the same town we're heading to I thought I'd get a head start…" Sam paused, biting his lower lip as he appeared to be putting his thoughts in order. Dean smiled, even though Sam had changed since the devils gate opened—one thing remained the same; his brother was still a geek.

"And…" Dean waited patiently, knowing Sam would continue when he was ready.

Sam shook his head as he began, "Well, apparently all of the couples met in different towns from around here—including three in the town where Bobby had his little nightmare episode." Sam paused and looked at Dean, the worry clear in his eyes. They had almost lost Bobby once and now he appeared to be in danger again.

"Sammy, I'm sure whatever is doing this wouldn't be after Bobby—I mean, come on—Bobby?" Dean smirked, but his mind remembered the look on his friends face when his dead wife had come back to kill him in the dream world. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to give him a call and see if he can start working on things from that end…"

Sam already had the phone in his hand and was soon filling Bobby in on the newest hunt. After hanging up, he sighed. "He says he'll do some investigating there and then follow and join up with us—guess we better rent two rooms."

"Definitely—I love Bobby, but he rocks the walls with his snoring!" Dean grinned. He was relieved Bobby would be joining them again. He had been truthful when he told Bobby how he felt about him. The old man had filled a void in his heart he never knew he had.

"Now, let's talk about what we are going to do once we find that bitch…" Dean began to outline his plan to Sam as they continued to drive towards their newest destination.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella frowned as she threw the tarot cards across the table. Ever since she had taken the colt from the Winchesters, the spirits had refused to communicate with her. She glanced at the gun sitting on the table in front of her. Her fingers traced the wording and for a moment she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"This is ridiculous! Surely this gun can't be that important!" Bella spoke to her feline companion. But even the cat turned its back and walked away. "Not you too—fine, see who gets a bowl of cream tonight!"

Bella rose and looked out the window; once again she felt a slight chill on her skin. She thought about calling Dean and telling him it was all a joke—but one thought of those cold green eyes and the menace in his voice when he told her he'd kill her after the Gordon incident and she quickly changed her mind. "You boys will do just fine without this old gun—besides; the man who called me regarding it will pay me handsomely."

She still couldn't figure out why she was staying at her friend's house for a few days. It was not like her to put off completing the arrangements to deliver the gun to the buyer. After all, a trip to the west coast was sounding quite appealing at the moment—the further she was from the Winchester boys, the better she'd like it. And yet, here she was cooling her heals instead of booking her flight. There was something about those two, something that was getting through the tough exterior she had spent a lifetime building.

Her mind went back to the moment she entered Bobby's hotel room. Dean had been his usual caustic self, but his brother Sam—she'd felt something, an attraction that made absolutely no sense. Even Sam had been off, if she didn't know better she'd of thought he was uncomfortable around her. In the past he'd made his feelings quite clear, he didn't like her and had no trouble voicing his distaste for her company. "I guess shooting someone wouldn't put me in the greatest light" she murmured, a slight grin on her face.

Moving towards the bar, she slowly poured herself a glass of chardonnay before moving to sit in the chaise lounge. Her gaze moved to the fire burning in the oversized fireplace. She rolled her shoulders, letting the tension ease from her muscles as she continued to relax. But not even the calm setting or the alcohol could silence the warning bells in her mind—perhaps this time—maybe just this once, she had gone a bit too far…

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After checking into the hotel, Dean left Sam to do some more research while he went to case the house Bella was staying in. His past experience told him underestimating her would be dangerous. But he had to admit, the thrill of besting her once more made him feel more alive than he had in a long time. That and maybe the realization that there was someone even more screwed in the head than him in this world.

But beneath the excitement a stronger emotion began to surface--anger. They had trusted her—for a brief moment he had let his guard down and believed she was there to help Bobby. He had never met anyone so cold, so self centered. Hell, Ruby had more compassion and she was a full fledged demon. He had to remind himself she was human and he couldn't kill her. But part of him really wouldn't mind hurting her just a little.

Sighing, he knew he could never do anything that drastic. Even though she had shot Sam without hesitation, part of Dean couldn't condone killing her or even harming her too much. As he continued to note the security cameras and other devices surrounding the estate he laughed softly to himself. When had the roles been reversed? Sam was supposed to be the one with the conscience, but these days it seemed Dean was the one reluctant to kill unless absolutely necessary.

Returning to the Impala, he figured the best time to breach her defenses would be later tonight. With luck, maybe she'd be sound asleep in those satin sheets she was so fond of and they'd be able to get the Colt back without her knowledge. Of course, that would mean missing the look on her face—but in the end, the important thing was to get the gun back.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam groaned softly as he shifted on the table. Once again he had nodded off while reading up on their latest hunt. He still was baffled about what could be causing the problem—it was really weird. In each case, the 'couple' had been two people who originally wouldn't have been caught dead with each other. But suddenly they couldn't get enough of each other. One man had only met his girlfriend the night before in a bar—she had been rude and obnoxious to him and yet he told his friends he had spent the night dreaming about her.

As he drifted further into sleep, his mind continued to struggle with the problem. But it seemed part of him had other ideas…

_Sam walked into the bedroom, the large four poster bed was draped with some kind of netting material, hiding the person within from his view. But as he drew closer, his body already was reacting to what he knew he'd find._

_Slowly, his hand separated the netting as he climbed carefully onto the bed, his breath stuttering in his throat as he looked at the woman lying on the ruby red silk sheets. Pale skin accentuated by the luxurious fold of the material wound about her, his mind filling in the missing picture until he felt as though he couldn't breathe._

_Before he could move any further, a soft chuckle sounded "I've been waiting all day for you Sammy…"_

"_Are you sure?" Sam asked as he moved closer, a sense of being here once before assaulting him before soft lips found his own, drawing him closer. He could feel her soft body moving beneath him, the silk sheets rustling as her hands moved to his chest. _

"_Bella…"_

Sam jumped as the sound of the door slamming jarred him awake. His eyes blinked as he once again wiped the drool from his mouth. He blushed, hoping his brother hadn't seen—couldn't see the evidence of his most recent dream.

"Jeez Sammy, I don't know who you have the hots for, but damn you need to find her and jump her bones soon!" Dean laughed lightly, punching Sam on the shoulder before going to drop down on his own bed. "Speaking of dreams, Jennifer Love Hewett and I have a standing date—so if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go visit her."

"Uhm—did you figure out how to get in?" Sam's husky voice caused him to wince.

"Sure, piece of cake Sammy—we'll go in later tonight and with luck by tomorrow we'll be able to begin working on our newest hunt. I can't wait to put that bitch in our rear view mirror. I swear Sammy, if I ever even think of calling her for any reason—just shoot me ok?" Dean sighed as he made himself more comfortable on the bed.

"Maybe I should just take away your phone; it would be a little less painful." Sam replied, yawning as he moved to lie on his own bed. He could use a few hours of dream free sleep himself.

"You have a point there Sam—glad to hear you are pulling back a little on that shoot first ask questions later attitude you've had lately…" Dean's voice trailed off as he drifted off into sleep.

Sam stared at the ceiling for a while, listening to his brother's soft snores. If Dean only knew how much it still bothered him to kill—his newest nightmares now included a few more faces. But until Dean was saved, he couldn't afford to give in to those feelings. They were the same feelings that had caused the problem to begin with. If he hadn't been worried about killing Jake—Dean wouldn't be heading for hell. Ruby was right about one thing, his gentle nature had to be subdued if they were going to save Dean and win this war.

Sighing, he punched his pillow and closed his eyes. As he dropped off to sleep, he hoped Bella wouldn't be visiting him again—and yet something inside him hoped she would…

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean had sent Sam to the second floor to search for the Colt while he took the first floor level. He whistled softly at the luxurious home, shaking his head at the things the rich and beautiful filled their lives with. Everything he owned was second hand and fit inside his car—hell he wouldn't know what to do with so much space.

A soft purring sound caused him to stop. "Hey there kitty, I don't suppose you know where your master hid the gun now do you?" Dean smiled as the cat rubbed against him. He gently rubbed it behind the ears before continuing his search. A soft meow however brought his attention back to the cabinet the cat was perched on. "You've gotta be kidding me right?" He said softly as he moved to open the door. "Well I'll be…good Kitty!" Dean reached up and rewarded the cat with another neck rub as his other hand grabbed the Colt.

"Jackpot! Come on kitty lets see if we can find you a dish of milk or something—you've definitely earned a reward!" Dean smirked as he pulled out the sticky note he'd prepared. He placed it on the shelf where the gun had been lying a moment before.

"_Better Luck Next Time Bitch!" _was scrawled on the neon green paper.

He had to admit it was pretty lame, but it made him feel good to once again beat her at her own game. Besides, he knew there would never be a next time for him. If she so much as got within speaking distance of him or Sam, he'd have to show her what a gun shot wound really felt like. Smiling as he poured some cream into a dish for the cat, he began to wonder what was taking Sam so long. Putting the gun safely in the waist band of his jeans and pulling out his own hand gun, he decided it was time to find the jolly green giant and head out before the woman of the house woke up.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam walked quietly into the bedroom, his eyes taking in the large four poster bed, covered in the same netting he'd seen in his dream. He shook his head as his heart rate increased, the breath catching in his throat as the desire to hold the woman on the bed became too great to ignore.

He'd been in love with Jessica and wanted to make her his wife. But he had never felt such a strong attraction; it was almost painful in its intensity. The thought of not having Bella in his life was more agonizing than anything he'd known. Nothing else mattered except convincing her not to leave.

A soft moan brought him out of his trance as he moved closer, parting the netting he smiled as the picture from his dream had come to life. Not wanting to startle the woman sleeping so peacefully, he softly cleared his throat before calling out. "Ah…Bella?"

"What? Who—Sam?" Bella's eyes were large in her pale face. A slight sheen of sweat on her brow mirrored the same moisture that had formed on Sam's face.

"Bella I—I…" Sam couldn't put into words what his heart was telling him. All rational thoughts fled as he moved forward, pulling the confused woman into his arms. He breathed in her clean scent, softly stroking her bare shoulder as he leaned in hesitantly for a kiss. His eyes uncertain as he waited, hoping she would return his feelings.

Bella hesitated for a brief moment, confusion quickly replaced with a fire to match the blaze in Sam's hazel eyes. Then both lips were locked in a dance of desire and need. Hands searching and finding purchase as their bodies melded together as if it was meant to be.

"What the hell! Sammy!" A loud voice called from the doorway interrupting the new lovers tryst. Sam pulled back reluctantly from Bella, his gaze narrowing as he turned to greet his brother.

"Dean? The polite thing to do would have been to knock or bet yet, to just go away…" Sam stood protectively in front of Bella, his eyes still filled with the desire raging through his veins.

Dean stepped back as if he'd been struck by an invisible force. His eyes grew larger, glimmering slightly as he tried to recover from the scene in front of him. "Er, don't tell me—please don't tell me this is the woman you've been dreaming about! She shot you Sammy, how can you—I mean when…" Dean was confused as to how this could have happened without him even having a clue.

"It doesn't matter Dean, the point is—Bella and I want to spend some time together—_alone_." Sam sat back down on the edge of the bed, linking his large hand in Bella's smaller one before pulling it up to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "I'll meet you back at the hotel later Dean—I'm sure Bella will give me a ride…"

The older hunter took another step into the room, his eyes narrowing for a moment before he utter a single word. "CRISTO!"

"God Dean, I'm not possessed—how many times have you pushed women at me or teased me about not being as interested in the opposite sex as you? And now that I'm showing an interest, you think I'm possessed?" Sam stood once again, his shoulders taut with tension and fists clenched as his cheeks took on a ruddy hue.

Dean stepped back, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Ok, Ok, I don't understand it—but hey, if you want to sleep with the cold hearted bitch—be my guest. I'll go back and finish up the research for our newest gig. I'll see you later!" Sam watched as Dean left the room, part of him felt bad about the way he'd acted. A small voice in the back of his mind was screaming at him to leave with Dean, but then a soft hand on his shoulder once more drove all other thoughts but one from his mind.

"Bella…"

TBC

Raven524: Ducks arrows of miscontent—seriously guys, this is not I repeat not a Sammy and Bella pairing—Believe me, my mind just had to come up with a plausible reason for Sam to be dreaming about her in the first place and of course it had Supernatural ties. So before you shoot the author, give it a chance—you might be pleasantly surprised (I hope-gulp).


	2. Chapter 2 Cosmic Jokes

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**THE CUPID EFFECT**

**Chapter 2 – Cosmic Jokes**

Dean slammed the door of the hotel room shut as he began to pace around the room. He couldn't believe it; surely this had to be some kind of cosmic joke. But then that seemed to sum up their lives in general. Yet, something was wrong—he could feel it.

Sam had been acting different since the devils gate was opened. He had been more detached, less willing to discuss his emotions than before. But the crazed look he saw in his brother's eyes and the flush on his face, now that he had time to think back on it—was all wrong. "Damn it Sammy! What's going on with you now?"

Dean pulled out the laptop and began to look over the information Sam had already gathered. As he read, the dread building in his gut increased. Especially as he read one of the interviews Sam had found in some police report; luckily even small town police stations were putting things on-line these days…

Getting back to business, he continued to scan the report. After he finished, he pulled out his cell phone and called the only one he knew could help them. "Hey Bobby. How long before you can get here?"

"I should be there in an hour Dean…" Bobby's voice sounded tired.

"Good, were you able to find anything out about those people Sam found?" Dean held his breath, wondering if Bobby had made the same connection as they had regarding the sudden deaths.

"Not much, other than to find out in each case those who had seen them together, couldn't believe it when I told 'em they had become engaged. One woman even made the comment; she wouldn't be surprised if they didn't kill each other before the end of the honeymoon. Why Dean? Is something wrong? Where's Sam?" The rapid fire questions were laced with an underlying worry, most would have missed except for Dean.

"I'm not sure; did you get any sense on what might be causing this? I mean, what could make two people so different fall in love that quickly?" Dean hedged, not quite willing yet to admit something could be wrong with his little brother. In a way, he was hoping for once he was wrong and Sam was just having a little fling to ease the tension.

"I have an idea, but I need to do some more research yet—why don't you put Sam on. Maybe he can start it before I get there. There are a few sites I want him to look at…" Bobby paused, the silence on the other end obviously telling him more than words. "Sam's not there is he Dean? He's been affected?"

"I don't know Bobby—you tell me. Right now Sam is playing Romeo to Bella's Juliet…" Dean ran a hand through his hair. "Give me those sites Bobby; somehow I don't think we have time to wait for Sam."

A short time later, Dean looked up from the scraps of paper and the glowing computer screen. A sharp knock on the door had pulled him from his research. Grabbing his gun, he placed it within easy reach in his waist band before going to answer the door. His shoulders relaxed as he saw the familiar cap and gray head just outside the peep hole.

"Bobby! I'm glad you're here!" Dean stepped back to let the weary looking hunter enter. It was clear his friend still hadn't totally recovered from his own recent ordeal. Dean grabbed the books from the older man's arms as he stepped back to allow him to enter.

"Thanks boy, did you manage to take a look at those sites I gave you?" Bobby was all business when it came to a hunt, something Dean had always admired. Next to his geek brother, the man in front of him was probably the smartest person he knew.

"Yeah, but it doesn't make sense. Why did you send me to all those mythology sites—I mean, do you honestly think we are dealing with some kind of god here?" Dean shifted uncomfortably as he remembered their last encounter with pagan gods; his tooth ached as if the pliers were once again jammed into his mouth.

Bobby dropped down wearily onto the bed Sam normally occupied. "I don't know boy, at least not for sure. I need to do some more reading…" Bobby pulled a book over, his hands shaking slightly as he opened the pages. It was clear he intended to start reading.

"When was the last time you ate or slept Bobby?" Dean asked, automatically assessing the older man's condition as he moved to gently take the book from his hands. He could tell Bobby was exhausted; the dark circles on the pale face in front of him spoke volumes.

"Tell you what, why don't you just lie down for a little bit and catch a little nap while I run out and get us some grub. We can eat and read at the same time ok?" Dean knew he was right when Bobby followed his suggestion with just a small grunt of disapproval.

"I'm not no four year old youngin' who needs a wet nurse Dean…" Bobby's voice grumbled, even as his eyes began to close. It wasn't long before loud snores filled the room.

Dean chuckled softly as he grabbed his jacket and car keys. He'd stop by the office on the way to rent the room next door. "Yeah, but you snore like a grizzly old man…" Dean muttered fondly as he exited the room.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam sat at the elegant dining room table, listening to Bella as she pulled out things from the fridge to make them something for breakfast. As he looked out the floor to ceiling windows, he realized with a start it was already close to noon. His lips quirked as he remembered the activities that made him sleep in this late.

Bella walked into the dining area with a sliver tray containing their breakfast. Her soft white robe caressed the curves of her body as she leaned in to plant a kiss on his lips. "Hmmm, you taste like strawberries…" Sam murmured, reaching for her and pulling her into his lap.

After a few moments, all he wanted to do was forget about breakfast and return to the wonderfully large bed upstairs. But Bella had other ideas. "Sam, you need to eat. I could hear your stomach all the way out in the kitchen."

Sam's eyebrows quirked as he looked at the food displayed on the tray in front of him. "Cereal with Strawberries and cream—you really went all out…"

Bella shoved at his shoulder and stood, a brief moment of anger flashing in her eyes before she shook her head. "There's something you should know about me Sam. I don't clean, I don't wash windows and I definitely don't cook. But then, with the money I make—I don't need to do those things…" She almost purred as she filled her bowl with cereal before popping another strawberry into her mouth.

Sam sat back, his mind suddenly reminding him why he had come here to begin with. "Yeah about the way you get that money; I don't understand how you can do what you do when you know the damage it can cause. I mean Bella, people die when you steal some of those relics—_you_ almost died…" Sam's breath hitched at the thought, his heart pounding painfully in his chest as he realized if she did die, he didn't want to live without her.

"Sam, I told you and your brother. I at least get something for my hard work. What do you get? When was the last time you slept on silk sheets or stayed in a place that didn't have cracked plaster or nasty smells? Seriously Sam, I would think you of all people would realize—you have to look out for yourself because in the end, no one else will." Bella sat back, her arms crossed as if she was trying to protect herself even now.

"Your wrong Bella" Sam paused as one word popped into his mind _"Dean"_ before it was replaced with something else. He wanted her to feel safe, just like his brother made him feel. "Believe me nothing will ever hurt you as long as I'm around. I couldn't live if something happened to you…" Sam reached across and gently grabbed one of her hands. He felt her relaxing as he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

The woman across from him sighed before looking away for a moment, confusion swirling in the depths of her eyes. "I know Sam—but I just don't understand _why_ I know. I mean you and me; we're like oil and water, we really shouldn't mix…"

Sam sat back again, his own mind now screaming louder trying to override his heart. "I can't help the way I'm feeling Bella. I can't explain it either—but it feels like this was meant to be. Say you won't leave me…" Sam's liquid eyes met somber ones as he tried to reach out once more for the woman sitting across from him.

A soft sigh followed the willing body that suddenly perched once more on his lap. As her lips met his, she spoke her own promise. "I don't know why, but believe me Sam. I won't leave you—I'll never leave you again."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"I think I've found something Dean…" Bobby's scratchy voice broke the silence that had been filling the room for the past few hours. Dean stood and stretched his hand feeling in his pocket for his cell phone. Sam should have been back by now or at least called. But a quick look at the phone told Dean what he had already known. Sam wasn't coming back, at least not anytime soon.

"I hope so Bobby because I gotta tell you, I'm getting worried. I mean, I tracked these killings all the way back to just after the gate opened, so we're dealing with some kind of demon here right?" Dean poured a cup of coffee for both of them before sitting back down.

"Well sort of Dean. I mean, you're going to find this hard to believe but I found an obscure mention of something similar happening once before. Of course, this was back when folks attributed everything good and bad to the gods." Bobby paused, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Just spill it Bobby—what are we dealing with here?" Sometimes Dean just wanted to strangle Bobby and Sam. They could never just spit it out—no they had to make him wait, building the suspense until they hit him between the eyes with their latest discovery.

"Cupid or if you prefer Eros, the god of love to the Romans and Greeks…" Bobby ran a hand through his hair.

The cup of coffee slipped from Dean's hands and dropped to the floor, his mouth hanging open as he tried to process what Bobby had just revealed. "Wait! You're honestly trying to tell me that a chubby baby wearing nothing but a diaper has shot my brother in the heart with his magic arrow—I mean seriously Dude, we've seen some strange things but this?" Dean slammed his hand onto the table; it had to be a joke.

"Look kid, you've already dealt with the Trickster, a pagan fertility god and Mr. and Mrs. Christmas—why is it hard to believe there's somethin' out there causing mischief with people by using love?" Bobby huffed as he slammed his book closed. "And did I mention that in addition to this being's ability to manipulate feelings of lust and desire, it also was known to have a large influence over the dead in Hades—of course, the fact that Hades is also sometimes referred to as…"

"Hell, I know the lore Bobby. I mean first Anti-Claus and now a whacked out version of Cupid—next you'll be telling me the Easter bunny is real!" Dean picked up the coffee cup and cleaned up the mess while he tried to process what Bobby was telling him.

"Well technically Easter originated as a pagan holiday…" Bobby began a slight twinkle in his eye.

"Don't—just don't go there ok?" Dean held up his hand as he refilled his cup and sat back down. He looked thoughtfully at Bobby, realizing the man really was serious. "So we're up against another pagan god—great, so to kill this one we need a wooden stake right? Please tell me we can kill the son of a bitch!"

"Well, now that's the interesting part of this tale. No one has ever found the being responsible. In fact, I'm thinking it's probably impossible to locate it."

"Great, just freakin' great. So basically, Sam is screwed is that what you're telling me here? Because I'm not hearing any solutions to the problem; how can we kill something we can't find?" Dean pushed his chair back and erupted to his feet, his body wanting action—needing to do something but there appeared to be nothing he could do.

"Damn it Bobby, I can't lose him this way—not before…" Dean's eyes filled for a moment as he realized with Sam gone, his new found will to live would wane as well.

Bobby stood and placed a calming hand on Dean's shoulder, understanding in his eyes. He continued as if Dean hadn't interrupted him. "According to what I've been able to find, when this happened in the past—only some of the unlucky couples died. Those who made it past St. Valentines Day seemed to somehow come to their senses." Bobby sat back and looked at Dean, waiting for the young hunter to process what he'd been told.

"So you think if we can keep those two from killing each other until after Valentine's Day, things will go back to normal?" Dean's eyebrows rose.

"Well it's the best theory I've got. Think about it this way, this affliction is almost like a curse and how do you deal with most curses Dean when you can't cure them?" Bobby waited; knowing the young man in front of him had the answer.

"You wait it out—I get it Bobby, but what do we do in the meantime?" Dean watched as Bobby scratched his head. "Well, first of all we probably should separate those two. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. How hard can it be to keep them safe for one more day?"

Dean shook his head before reaching for his keys. "This is Sammy we're talking about here—remember?"

Bobby's face fell for a moment. "Yeah, I know kid—but he always seems to survive too don't forget…"

"I hope so, Bobby—for both our sakes!" Dean remarked as he headed for his car and to Sam.

TBC

Raven524: Yes, that's right—I'm taking on Cupid! LOL Hopefully, I'm not offending anyone, but lets face it—how else would Sam and Bella connect? But hold on, as I promised this will not be a Sam and Bella pairing—more like a unpairing…This will be a short story, only about five chapters, so hold on as he plot thickens—it will be a fast finish.


	3. Chapter 3 Flip Sides of a Coin

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**THE CUPID EFFECT**

**Chapter 3 – Flip Sides of the Coin**

Bobby followed quietly in Dean's footsteps as they entered the silent house. Dean looked back at his friend, the worry clearly evident in his eyes and motioned for Bobby to search downstairs. He'd take up—and pray he wouldn't find Sam in the middle of something…well at least he better be clothed.

As Dean moved quietly up the stairs he heard soft voices, suddenly rising in anger coming from the bedroom where he left Sam.

"I can't believe you can be so selfish Bella. That gun is the only way I have to save my brother and you are still planning on selling it?" Sam's baritone voice reverberated down the hall.

"I told you Sam, none of that matters to me. I learned a long time ago to look out for number one and I've been doing a pretty good job of it so far." Bella's clipped English Accent following Sam's voice as they continued to argue.

Dean stepped into the room and almost smiled at the sight in front of him. His six foot brother towered over Bella, his hands clenching and unclenching while Bella stood, her own eyes filled with the fire of defiance.

"So I see the honeymoon is already over kids—what was that like twenty four hours?" Dean interjected. While he wouldn't mind letting his little brother strangle the self centered bitch, he knew Sam wouldn't be able to live with the consequences.

"Dean?" Sam turned, his gaze slightly confused as if he couldn't figure out what he was doing here.

"That would be me, your handsome older brother…" Dean moved closer, trying to put himself between the arguing pair. They still have a full day to get through without allowing either one of them to kill the other.

"Well you can just take Romeo here back with you. Don't let the door hit you on the way out boys!" Bella grabbed some clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Sammy, you really know how to handle the ladies. So you ready to come home?" Dean watched the emotions flowing through his brother's eyes. Confusion, regret and then something stronger, a longing he hadn't seen since Sam spoke of Jessica. This couldn't be good.

"I have to apologize to her; I have to make her understand…" Sam began as he started to move towards the bathroom door. Dean moved quickly to stand between his brother and the doorway. He didn't like the ruddy hue on Sam's cheeks or the fine sheen of sweat that seemed to be forming on his face. It hadn't been there a few minutes ago, what the hell was happening now.

"Come on Sammy, we can talk about how to get her back once I get you to the hotel. You know what they say, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'…" Dean felt the tremor in his brother's arm as he gently pulled him from the room. He noticed Sam's eyes continued to look back at the closed door.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Dean called softly for Bobby. When the old hunter appeared, he nodded upstairs. "She's in the shower cooling off. I'm going to take Sam to the hotel. Maybe you should stay here and keep an eye on her?"

Bobby's eyebrow quirked for a moment before he sighed and looked upstairs, "So now you think I'm in the baby sittin' business?"

"Well, if that's true, you'll have your hands full with her. Oh and watch your pockets old man, the girl is quick…" Dean continued to pull Sam out the door, ducking the sweat stained ball cap aimed in his direction.

"Dean I have to go back…" Sam whispered as he pulled against Dean's hold on his arm. Dean was concerned; his brother seemed to be getting awful weak all of a sudden. He could see actual shudders running through his brother's body.

"Hold on Sammy, we'll figure this out once we get back to the hotel." Dean helped Sam into the passenger seat; the hand brushing his brother's forehead noted the heat radiating from him. Quickly jumping into the other side he headed back towards the hotel. After a few moments, he watched as Sam's head sagged against the window. Dean grabbed his cell phone and dialed Bobby's number.

"Miss me so soon Dean?"

"Bobby, have you seen Bella yet? Is she ok?" Dean heard Bobby huffing as he began to climb the stairs. A moment later he heard a soft exclamation followed by the thudding of the phone on the floor.

"Bobby! Hey what's going on?" Dean pulled the car to the side of the road and looked worriedly at his sleeping brother. Sam hadn't said a word since he'd gotten into the car. Reaching over, Dean tried to wake his brother.

"Sammy? Hey, nap times over…" But there was no response. Dean could feel the heat radiating off his brother's body as he quickly checked for a pulse. He sighed as he felt the strong beat beneath his fingers, but the fever seemed to be burning much higher than before.

"Dean? Boy, you still there? You best get back here—I think we have a problem." Bobby's worried tone came through the phone.

Dean turned the car and headed back the way he'd just come. "I'm on my way back already. Let me guess, Bella is sick with a fever right?"

"Sam too?" was Bobby's only response.

"Yeah, guess we need to come up with another plan. I'll be there in a few minutes." Dean sighed as he closed his phone and dropped it back into his pocket. His worried gaze looking once more at his unconscious sibling before he pressed harder on the gas pedal; obviously separating the two love birds was not an option.

"Jeez Sammy, not a great time for your Elvis impression Dude. I mean, I don't think when he sang about being a hunk of burning love—he meant it literally." Dean waited, but there was no huff or eye roll following his comment. Reaching over, he patted his brother's thigh lightly. "Don't worry Sam, we'll figure something out…"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam woke slowly, his hand reaching for the bridge of his nose as he tried to figure out why his head was going to explode. The last thing he remembered was…"Bella!" Sam sat up straight on the bed, his eyes searching for the woman who now seemed to haunt him even in his dreams. He placed his legs on the floor and tried to stand, but the room immediately began to spin.

"Hey Sammy, about time you decided to wake up." Dean's soft voice interrupted his little brother's attempt to rise from the bed. Sam turned and noticed the dark shape sitting in the chaise lounge by the window. His lips quirked as he saw his brother sitting, legs crossed and books scattered on the floor.

"I see you decided to do a little light reading…" Sam leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as he cradled his head in his hands. He wished the pounding would stop, and why was it so hot in here?

"Laugh it up geek boy! Of course, me being the awesome big brother that I am; I decided to do your part and do a little research. Are you feeling any better?" The tired young hunter watched as Dean stood and moved to sit beside him. He could feel his brother's hand on the small of his back, lightly providing a measure of support without really saying anything.

Sam looked up and saw the worry hidden in the depths of his brother's gaze. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he felt so bad. "My head is killing me and it's so hot Dean—what's wrong with me?"

Dean stood and left the room, returning shortly with a glass of water and some white pills. "Here, it's time to take some more ibuprofen. It should help with the head and the fever." Sam didn't miss that his brother had totally evaded his question. But he swallowed the pills and let the cool water ease the dryness in his throat as he continued to watch his brother.

The oldest Winchester grabbed the bowl and wash cloth on the nightstand and once again left. Sam could hear him emptying the bowl and refilling it, probably with more cool water. He felt so tired, but he couldn't understand what was wrong. When he and Bella had been together, he'd felt fine—he felt more than fine. A slight blush crept up his neck and into his pale cheeks as he remembered the way he'd spent the previous night. There was nothing 'cold' about Bella.

He felt a cool cloth on his forehead as he jerked his eyes open once more. He didn't remember lying down and yet not only was he back in bed, but the covers were pulled up and he had another wet cloth covering his face. Groaning, he pulled the cloth from his eyes, squinting to see his brother's face in the waning light. "Dude, what happened?"

"You decided to take another nap Sammy. This fever is taking a lot out of you. Now put the cloth back on while I get you some more medicine." Sam shook his head as he tried to figure out what was going on. But his mind was too groggy. Dean was here, he'd take care of everything until he felt better. Before he could dwell too long on the fact, his brother might not be here in a few more months, strong arms helped him sit up and held the glass steady while he downed the pills.

"Where's Bella? Is she sick too?" Sam finally asked as he let Dean pull up the covers once more.

"She's fine Sammy. She's sleeping next door. So you want to tell me what you two were up to last night?" Dean sat on the bed, his hand resting on Sam's arm in a comforting gesture.

"Seriously Dude, what do you think we were doing? I mean, I never ask you to tell me about your latest conquest—why the twenty questions?" Sam felt like there was something important he was missing, something he had to do. Suddenly he remembered as he sat up on the bed, almost knocking Dean off in the process.

"Dean, I have to go into town…" Sam tried to get up, but strong arms pushed him back onto the bed.

"Why in such a hurry Sam? The town will be there tomorrow when you're feeling better…" Sam tried to push against his brother, but soon gave in. He was so tired, but he had to make it right. He had to make sure she understood.

"You don't understand Dean; I have to get the ring. You can't propose without a ring…" Sam's voice trailed off as the fever finally pulled him back into a restless sleep. He never heard the softly indrawn breath or felt the hand gently pushing his bangs from his eyes.

"Don't worry Romeo; I'm sure things will look different in a couple of days. You just relax and sleep."

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean sighed as he stood to empty the wash basin and refill it once again with cool water. His mind trying to get around his brother's latest bomb shell; but then he should have expected something like this. His brother just wasn't a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy at heart. However, the thought of having Bella as a sister-in-law, well even the gods couldn't be that cruel.

A soft knock on the door announced Bobby's presence. "Dean, I brought you some sandwiches and some more coffee…"

Dean smiled as he watched Bobby pause by the bed, running a hand over Sam's forehead before setting the tray down on the chest of drawers. "Thanks Bobby. How's Bella doing?"

"About the same, but at least the fever is manageable with them being next door to each other. Of course, you're goin' to have to do some mighty fine explainin' when Sam finds out you've been drugging him." Bobby grinned as he pulled his own cup of coffee from the tray and sat on one of the chairs in the room.

"Well what else was I supposed to do Bobby? I mean, he was only awake for a few moments and wanted to go into town shopping for rings…" Dean shuddered once again at the thought of having Bella in the family. He laughed softly as he thought about the kind of kids that would come from that union. "Hey Bobby, wonder what their kids would be like? I mean, Sam is such a straight arrow and well Bella…"

Bobby snorted. "Sounds to me like we'd have a bunch of little Dean's running around now wouldn't we?"

He almost choked on the sandwich before he joined in on the laughter. For a moment, it felt good to let go after the hours of worry he'd spent. "So you still think by this time tomorrow they'll be over this?"

"I'm pretty sure Dean, but I don't know if we can keep them drugged the whole time. We need to try to get some food and liquid into them at some point…" Bobby looked over at the pale figure on the bed; Sam was tossing in his sleep.

"I know Bobby, but I say we keep them out of it as long as we can. Unless you can come up with some kind of cure…" Dean sighed as he stood and sat next to Sam. He wrung out the wash cloth and began to wipe the sweat from his brother's brow. "Shh Sammy, it's ok—you're just having a bad dream…"

He never heard Bobby take the dishes and leave the room. His focus was on the miserable bundle in the bed. He never could stand to see Sam sick or in pain. And of course, the other thoughts were now added to his internal turmoil. Who was going to take care of Sammy when he was gone?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Muted light filtered through the room the next time Sam woke. He blinked and wondered what time it was. The only thing he knew for certain was he needed to relieve himself. Pushing himself up, he waited until the room righted itself before he stumbled towards the bathroom. He tripped over the handle of his bag, falling to his knees for a moment.

Thinking a shower and some clean clothes sounded like a good idea, Sam reached in to grab what he would need. His head still felt like it was full of cotton candy; thoughts came and went before he could get a complete grasp on them. As he pulled out a clean T-Shirt, his hand brushed against a small box on the bottom of the bag.

Sitting back on his heels, he pulled the box out and gazed at it for a moment. Blonde hair and blue eyes flashed in his mind followed by the joy he'd felt when he'd found the ring. It was a simple ring, but he'd known Jess would love it. Tears rose to the surface as he remembered talking one of his friends into letting him borrow his car so he could take her to a nice restaurant. Of course, then Dean had shown up and the demon had…

Sam swallowed back the emotions and taking the small box with his clothes he headed for the bathroom. He needed to wash away more than the sweat from his body. Still feeling weak as a kitten, he made short work of the shower. He pulled on his clean clothes and placed the box in the pocket of his jeans. He squinted at his reflection in the mirror, shocked at the paleness of his face. No wonder Dean was in big brother protective mode.

As he brushed his teeth, he noticed the small bottle of pills on the counter. Thinking they must be the fever reducers his brother had been giving him, he began to open the bottle. His mind was refusing to acknowledge what his eyes were telling him. He turned the bottle in his hand, reading the label one more time before slamming it down on the counter with enough force to shatter the plastic bottle.

Pills scattered across the counter and onto the floor. But Sam didn't notice, all he felt right now was hurt and betrayed. "Why Dean? Why did you drug me?" He whispered trying to make sense of it. His brother had lied to him, told him the pills were for his fever when they were really sleeping pills. No wonder he couldn't put two sentences together—he should have known the fever would not have made him this out of it.

"Sammy, you ok in there?" Dean's voice called from the bedroom.

Sam picked up a couple of the pills and walked into the room, his eyes cold as he faced his brother. "Cristo!"

"Sam? What the hell?" Dean looked down and saw the pills in the palm of his brother's hand. Understanding and guilt flashed across his face before he moved closer to Sam. "Listen Sam, I can explain…"

The pills sailed across the room as Sam brushed past his brother. "Tell me you haven't been drugging her too! How could you Dean? I understand you don't like her, but you can't keep us apart this way. Just how long were you going to keep us drugged Dean?"

Sam turned and watched as Dean sat on the bed. "Just until after midnight tonight Sammy—you have to believe me, it was the only way to keep you safe—to keep you both safe."

"Safe from what? You? Seriously Dean, marriage isn't a death sentence…" Sam stopped as Dean stood, his hands clenched and shoulders rigid.

"Do you remember why we came to this town Sam? We had a job, a job where couples were dying. You're not yourself Sam; you've been whammied by a pagan god who gets his jollies manipulating people's emotions." Dean took a step towards his brother, his eyes begging Sam to believe him.

Sam stepped back, something niggled him in the back of his mind. But his desire to see Bella and make things right was too strong. "I don't care what you think is happening here Dean. I'm a grown man and I know what I want. I'm going to ask Bella to marry me and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Sam stormed from the room, slamming the door in his brother's face as he headed to the bedroom containing the future Mrs. Winchester. At least he hoped she would agree. After all, it was his brother who had kept her drugged for god knows how long.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean stood in the room for a moment before his mind was able to reconcile the brother he knew from the one who had just slammed the door in his face. Running a hand down his face, he reached for the door and started to follow is brother down the hall. A moment later, he heard loud voices followed by another slamming door. As he turned the corner, he saw Bobby standing outside Bella's door.

"Let me guess, he threw you out too?" Dean said calmly. He stood next to Bobby and stared at the door.

"The young whelp—told me to leave or he'd toss me out on my ear. I never thought I'd say this about Sammy, but I can see why your daddy used to get so mad at him." Bobby ran a hand through his hair before replacing his ball cap.

Dean sat down next to the door, his back against the wall. "How much longer do you figure Bella will sleep?"

Bobby grinned. "Well, luckily I just managed to give her another dose. So she should be out for at least another six or eight hours. That would bring us within a couple of hours shy of midnight." The older man groaned as he joined Dean on the floor. "In the meantime, we'll just have to wait and hope those two don't do anything stupid…"

Dean's eyebrow rose, "You're kidding me right? This is Bella and Sam we're talking about here. Of course, they'll do something stupid. I just hope we can stop it before it gets real bad."

"Me too kid…me too. Say, you got any cards? We'll probably be here for a bit and I wouldn't mind winnin' back some of the money you took the last time we were together…"

Dean laughed but his eyes never left the door.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam sat on the bed, Bella firmly enclosed in his arms as he tried to reconcile what his mind and heart was telling him. He knew Dean wouldn't have done anything to hurt him and he was pretty sure no matter how mad he was at Bella; his brother wouldn't intentionally hurt her either. And yet, he couldn't help the feeling of being betrayed by those he trusted most. How could they drug him and Bella?

Bella moaned softly in her sleep, luckily the fever that had been burning in her when he came in seemed to be almost gone. In fact, now that he thought about it, his own fever was gone. Other than feeling a little groggy, probably from the sedatives, Sam felt fine. It didn't make sense, why would he and Bella be sick and then apparently cured so quickly?

Dean's words came back to him as he lightly caressed Bella's shoulder, smiling as she curled tighter into his embrace before settling into a more restful sleep. His brother had reminded him of the hunt. But what did that have to do with him and Bella? After all, he'd been dreaming about her before they had discovered the hunt—it was just coincidence…

A grimace formed on Sam's face as he recognized nothing in their world was ever just a coincidence. That meant whatever was affecting the other couples was probably affecting him. But looking down at the beautiful woman in his arms, his thought became cloudy. Strong feelings chased reason from his mind as he traced her lips with his finger, remembering those lips from the night before.

His hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box. The box had contained so much promise; it was his ticket to the normal life once. Maybe, maybe it could be once again. After all, Bella knew what he was—there was no need to keep the family secret from her. His heart swelled with hope, he would ask her as soon as she woke. There would be no secrets this time, no regrets for things unspoken. This time he would do it right…

TBC

Raven524: As promised these chapters are being posted quickly. If you like the story, don't forget to press the little reply button and let me know. All reviews will be given a good home!


	4. Chapter 4 Trouble in Paradise

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**THE CUPID EFFECT**

**Chapter 4 – Trouble in Paradise**

Sam felt Bella move in his arms as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. He was amazed at how much time had passed. Darkness had crept into the room, throwing all in shadows except for the soft glow from the bedside lamp. "Hey sleepyhead…" Sam whispered, not wanting to scare the woman in his arms.

"Sam?" Bella blinked, her hands curling into Sam's chest as she turned her face up to peer at the man beneath her. "What happened? The last thing I remember…"

Bella suddenly pushed herself up and sat up glaring down at Sam. "You came back? I'm still not going to give you the Colt Sam—believe me, while the sex was good, it can't compare to the profit I'll make on that piece of ancient history."

Sam sat up on the bed, fighting his own anger as he gazed at the woman he wanted to marry. He didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted to hold her. "We can talk about that later Bella. I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, it's just—this thing with Dean…" Tears threatened, but Sam gulped not willing to show any weakness to the woman in front of him.

Her eyes softened as she inched closer to Sam. "It's ok Sam. I know how close you two are. Why don't we start over?" She slid her hand under Sam's T-shirt, her eyes asking and giving permission in one look.

Sam groaned and pulled her into his arms. As his lips met hers, he realized once again how much he loved her and needed her in his life. As he pulled her closer, he smiled. "You know, I've heard it's more fun after a fight—care to test the theory with me?"

A soft giggle was all the answer he needed as he closed his mind to all the questions and concerns. For now, the only thing he needed was in his arms.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean yawned as he rotated his head, trying to loosen up the stiff muscles in his shoulders. He'd been sitting outside the bedroom door for hours, afraid to leave in case something happened. Bobby had gone down to make them some dinner, which hopefully would be a good peace offering for the two love birds.

As he tried to get more comfortable, he heard the soft rumble of his brother's voice followed by a soft feminine giggle. "Oh God, they're awake" Dean groaned softly as he moved closer to the door. He felt like the worlds worst peeping Tom. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the chance that things wouldn't get out of hand. The two of them had already argued once.

A slight blush crept up Dean's face as he heard the definite sounds of his little brother having a romantic evening with the little minx. Rubbing his hand down his face, he wondered what Sam would say if he found him listening in. His little brother was already more than a little mad at him for the drugging incident. This would probably drive him even farther away. Pushing himself to his feet, he stood outside the door wondering if he should intrude or let nature take its course.

After all, he had been pushing Sam to have more fun. Hadn't he all but thrown his little brother at Sarah? But this, he wondered how his little brother would deal with the fact he had been having sex with the woman who'd shot him without blinking an eye. The same woman who had stolen the Colt after worming her way into their trust; maybe he should stop them before they got too far into it.

However, before he could open the door he heard sounds that definitely made him aware he was too late. His little brother was obviously enjoying himself and if the soft gasps meant anything so was Bella. There was no way he was going to burst in and interrupt his brother in the middle of…

"Hey Dean, whatcha doin?" Bobby asked as he stopped by the door, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Ah—well—I mean…" Dean blushed and looked away just as another loud groan sounded from the room beyond along with the definite sound of springs moving on the king sized bed.

"Oh" Bobby simply said as he turned and started back down the stairs.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Dean asked, following him a few steps, obviously torn between giving his brother some privacy and protecting him from whatever the demi-god had planned for him.

"I'm goin' to finish up with dinner. From the sounds of things, that boy and gal are working up a real appetite." Bobby grinned, obviously enjoying Dean's discomfort at the current situation.

"Jeez Bobby, you didn't have to remind me. I mean, what's going to happen when he comes back to his senses—what if he's not using protection? Did you ever think about that? He wants to marry her for crying out loud!" Dean paced along the hallway, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation.

"Surely you or your Dad had that little chat with the boy. Don't worry Dean, the longer they are—ah—you know—the closer we get to the bewitching hour." Bobby laughed at the look on the oldest Winchester's face.

Dean shook his head remembering the day he'd had "The talk" with Sam. Just like everything else, his father had left that little chore up to him as well. He even remembered the girl's name, Stacey.

_Sam had just turned sixteen and had come home with a huge blush on his face. Dean had seen the signs before this; his brother had been spending more time than usual in the bathroom in the morning. He always pulled out his best pair of jeans and shirts. Over night his brother had gone from the boy who slept until the last moment and went to school looking like he rolled out of bed to one of the guys they had always made fun of in the past. The only explanation was a girl._

"_So Sammy, did you kiss her yet?" Dean asked as he watched his brother drop his books and head for the fridge. He was trying to hide behind his bangs, another sign his sibling was trying to keep things from his big brother._

"_Noneofyourbusiness" Sam muttered, his head in the refrigerator coming out with the carton of milk. Sam quickly poured a glass of milk and grabbed a handful of cookies from the jar on the counter. He shoved a cookie in his mouth and began to leave the room._

_Dean grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the table, kicking out a chair and motioning with his head for his stubborn brother to sit down. "I know you're head over heels about some chick—unless you're turning into one. It's the only reason you'd spend so much time in front of the mirror—so which is it?"_

_Sam sighed, looking down at the table as he traced the ring of milk left by the glass. "Her name is Stacey and no I haven't kissed her—she kissed me. I mean, one minute we were talking about the history test this Friday and then she was pushing me against the lockers and kissing me like there was no tomorrow. She even put her tongue in my mouth…" Sam blushed, hanging his head down again. _

_Dean almost choked trying to keep himself from laughing, the idea of his brother who now was slightly taller than him, being shoved up against a locker by some tiny girl—it was almost too much to ignore. But one look at his brother and he controlled himself. There would be time for ribbing later. "So, did you kiss her back Sammy? There's nothing like a little tonsil hockey to get the blood flowing…" Dean winked, trying to get his brother to open up more to him. _

_Sam glanced up, pressing his fingers to his lips as if he was remembering the kiss before he asked "Isn't it supposed to be me first Dean? I mean has a girl ever done it to you—kissed you before you even did anything?" The blush on his brother's face was priceless._

_Dean paused and thought for a moment. "Well, normally no—but there was that girl in Somerville, of course, later on I managed to show her…" _

"_Ew…Deeeaann, I don't need to know. Honestly, I think I understand the basics…" Sam squirmed in his chair. "We have health and safety classes at school Dean; I don't need you to tell me about the birds and bees." Sam looked away obviously embarrassed._

"_Dude, who said anything about the birds and the bees? I'm sure you got an A in the class, but I'm also sure they didn't cover how to ask the girl out now did they?" Dean watched as Sam shook his head._

"_I thought so Sammy, because if you understood the basics, you wouldn't have kept the poor girl waiting. I mean, were you ever going to kiss her? Have you even asked her out yet?" Dean watched as Sam hung his head._

"_I thought so…" Dean placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, squeezing it lightly before sitting down opposite his little brother._

"_I don't know—I mean, what if she wants to you know or worse what if she says no?" Sam looked up at Dean for the first time, uncertainty clear in his hazel eyes._

"_OK Sammy, first of all you need to ask the girl out. Get to know her a little more, kissing is ok and if you or the girl aren't comfortable with going further—you shouldn't do it. Some girls just like kissing and cuddling—you need to find out which she is. Of course, if she kissed you first, well you might want to prepare for going past first base and heading straight for home plate if you know what I mean. But if you want to go there, well all I can say is you need to be careful…"_

Dean's mind returned to the present as he heard his brother's loud exclamation. "Obviously you've learned a few things since that talk eh Sammy?" He sat back down on the opposite wall, a smile gracing his lips as he noticed Bobby was no where to be seen. "Coward" Dean muttered softly as he got comfortable once more. With luck, his brother would be in a much better mood when he came out. At least from the sounds of things, he should be…

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam smiled as he watched Bella get up and pull on her robe. "Where are you heading?"

"A girl has to eat some time Sam, I'm going to take a quick shower and head downstairs." She knelt on the bed and leaned in for a quick kiss before standing and moving towards the bathroom.

"Feel like sharing?" Sam asked softly, moving to get out of bed and follow her.

"No thanks big boy, if we do that I'll never get dressed and we'll both starve." Bella laughed softly, closing the door and leaving Sam standing in the middle of the room.

Deciding he better get dressed as well, he grabbed his clothes. He had to admit he was feeling a little hungry as well. "I'm going downstairs…I'll meet you down there ok?"

"Fine, why don't you see what we have in the ice box? I think there might be some thing for sandwiches or there are numbers for local take-out places next to the phone." Bella replied, the sound of the shower starting as Sam headed for the door.

A soft knock on the door sounded as Sam began to turn the door knob. He opened the door and was surprised to see his brother on the other side. "What are you doing here Dean?"

"Bobby sent me up to see if you two were hungry—he ah—made dinner." Dean looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Sam remembered what had happened earlier as his eyes narrowed, taking in the wary look in his big brother's eyes. He wasn't quite ready to forgive him just yet.

"Fine, we'll come down for dinner—but I'm warning you Dean, one wrong word from you…" Sam paused; sure his message had been received. He watched as his big brother simply turned and began to walk down the stairs. Sam followed, unsure why he felt like he was the one in the wrong. Fingering the box in his pocket, he smiled. As soon as they finished dinner, he was going to ask her. Right in front of Dean and Bobby; his only family now; maybe then they'd see her the way he did and if not, then he'd be moving on.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella walked slowly down the stairs and listened to the laughter coming from the kitchen. She couldn't believe it was almost midnight and they were just now getting around to eating. In fact, she wondered why she had slept the whole day away—it wasn't like her, especially with strangers in her house.

As the conversation continued in the kitchen, she realized she heard two other male voices. Evidently Sam had found his brother and probably Bobby. She didn't know why that rankled, but it did. She didn't like having hunters in her home. Especially since she knew they all wanted the Colt. These men had already caused her to lose money, she would be damned if they were going to cost her this deal. Besides, something in the buyer's voice had caused her to shiver. She remembered the man on the phone warning her that the woman interested in purchasing the Colt was not someone to mess with.

While she'd been in the shower, her mind had gone over the argument she'd had with Sam earlier. The man had apologized, but she couldn't help but think he was only postponing the discussion. Deciding to check on the Colt, she moved silently towards the cabinet. She'd just move it to a safer location until she managed to get everything sussed out with Sam.

She smiled as she remembered the last couple of hours. Who knew the man could be so delicious. Of course, the strong silent types normally were more intense. Her stomach fluttered as she thought about returning to bed later with Sam in tow. Yes, she definitely was looking forward to her own little dessert with the younger Winchester.

As she opened the locked cabinet, her eyes immediately spied the neon green sticky note. After reading the words on the paper, any thoughts of making love later with Sam flew out the window. Her eyes became hard as she reached further inside and pulled out her own gun. Slipping it inside the waist band of her slacks, she was glad she'd worn a loose fitting top. It would hide the gun until the time was right.

She almost jumped as Sam walked out of the kitchen, a large smile on his face. Of course, he was smiling—he'd been keeping her entertained while his big brother searched the house for the gun. How could she have been so foolish? For a moment, she had thought…but no, just like all the hunters she'd ever met, they couldn't be trusted.

"Hey Bella, I'm glad you came down. Bobby cooked up some pasta…" Sam stopped and stared at her and for a moment, she almost believed he loved her. As she pulled the gun from its hiding place and aimed it at him, he actually looked confused.

"Where is it Sam?" Bella asked calmly, flipping the safety off the gun.

"Where's what Bella? Why are you holding a gun on me?" Sam held out his hands in a placating manner. His voice trembled slightly as he moved a little closer to her. He was treating her like she was a frightened child.

Backing up a few steps, she felt the rage continuing to build within her. This man had used her, used her body to get what he wanted. He'd never loved her; he only wanted the damn gun. "You know Sam, I almost believed you. I have to admit you're pretty good. I would have expected something like this from Dean, but not you." Bella watched as Dean and Bobby came from the kitchen.

"You two stay right where you are!" Bella pointed the gun at Sam's heart. "As you know, I'm an expert shot and this time I won't be aiming for his shoulder!"

"Whoa, hold on Bella. Why don't you tell us what has you so upset?" Dean looked at the clock and saw it was eleven fifty-five. He need only five more minutes before the damn curse should be over.

"Bella, I love you—I wanted to ask you to marry me—see…Argh!" Sam cried out as the gun barked. As he pulled the box from his pocket, his eyes searched for Bella. The red stain began spreading on the front of his shirt, blossoming outward even as he continued to move towards her.

"Sammy!" Dean cried as he moved to grab his brother. A second shot sounded, the bullet whizzing by his ear as he ducked. "Damn it Bella, stop shooting or so help me, I'll kill you!"

"No Dean, you can't kill her, please I want her—I'm going to ask her—to—to—marry me…" Sam fell to his knees, the box slipping from his fingers as his eyes began to close. Bella watched in horror as the box bounced across the floor and landed at her feet. She continued to aim the gun at the remaining hunters, even as her mind refused to believe what she'd heard. It wasn't possible, Sam had been using her.

"Don't move any of you!" Bella called out as she bent to retrieve the box. Her fingers shook as she opened the box and saw the ring inside. Tears gathered in her eyes as she realized Sam had been telling her the truth. The gun shook in her hand as she backed away from the hunters, her eyes landing on the motionless form of Sam in front of her.

"Oh God, what have I done?" Bella whispered.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean's world stopped as he watched his brother fall. No, it couldn't be—Sam couldn't be dead. He'd made a deal so that his brother would live. His eyes watched as Bella picked up the box and opened it. He knew what was inside; it was the ring Sam had bought for Jessica.

"You bitch! I'm going to kill you!" Dean ground out as he started to move towards her. But the gun in her hand stopped him. Even though she was upset, she had the presence of mind to keep the gun aimed at him. He heard Bobby shifting slightly behind him and knew the older hunter wouldn't hesitate to shoot if the opportunity presented itself.

Ignoring her for the moment, he moved to kneel beside the motionless form of his brother. He could see the pool of blood, the scent something he would never get used to. Especially when it was coming from his little brother, how many times had he seen his brother's blood? "Sammy, come on, you can't do this—not now." Dean was afraid to turn him over.

Sam was too still.

The feelings he's experience when Jake stabbed Sam returned full force. He couldn't go through that again, he just couldn't. He was frozen, unable to move, his breath catching in his throat as visions of his brother's limp body returned. The bed where his brother's body had lain while Dean's world crashed around him was all he could see.

It had all been for nothing. The deal, fighting the demons that have been released, all of it meant nothing if Sam was dead; the world be damned. Once again they'd given their all and this was what happened. Only this time it wasn't a demon, but a demi-god who got off watching others suffer for its own sick pleasure. How were they supposed to win when everything in the world seemed to be against them? For the second time in his life, Dean felt himself giving up. It was too much, he was too small—if there was a real God, then let him fight the battle because Dean Winchester was done.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby watched in horror as the youngest Winchester fell to the floor. It took all he had not to shoot the woman standing in front of them. Sam had become like his own son, he was family and this woman may have just killed him. He strained to see any sign of life, but there was nothing.

He heard the soft sob coming from Dean as knelt beside his brother. He had seen that look before and he swore he'd never see it again. Yet, he stood by and watched as Dean sunk into himself, unmoving as his eyes grew distant and blank. He had to stop this, had to make things right for the boys.

Suddenly he saw movement as Bella backed away from the two men in front of her. Her eyes filled with tears as she clutched the box in her hand. Bobby glanced at the clock and saw it was almost midnight. A few more precious seconds and the curse should be over. But from the looks of things, it wouldn't matter.

"I shot him—Oh God, I shot him…" Bella kept muttering to herself as she moved towards the corner of the room. Her eyes weren't seeing anything but the body in front of her. Bobby realized she was also in danger now. Not from him or Dean but herself. He'd seen that look in more than one person in his lifetime.

"Bella, girl you need to calm down. It will be all right, you'll see…" Bobby moved slowly towards the woman, no longer worried about the gun still pointing at him. He had to get it away from her, contain her until things could be sorted out. He wouldn't see another person die because of this fool curse.

He watched as she stood with her back in the corner, her hands shaking. He had to reach her somehow before it was too late. "Listen to me; I want you to do just one thing for me. Wait five more minutes—just five minutes and then I won't stop you."

Bella swallowed and looked at Bobby, "What are you talking about?"

"You and Sam, you were both affected by a curse. I don't have time to go into it all right now, but you know about the things out there. You and the boy were part of a demi-god's sick joke. That thing has been responsible for a number of deaths—all of them couples who either kill each other or die because they were never meant to be." Bobby watched as Bella tried to absorb what he was saying. The clock began to chime as midnight finally came to the quiet house.

As the twelfth chime wrung, Bobby watched and held his breath. Bella blinked and shook her head. After a moment, he saw the horror once more in her eyes. Even though the curse had been lifted, apparently the aftermath still needed to be dealt with. "How are you feelin' girl?" Bobby asked quietly, moving so that he was between her and the two men on the floor.

"Is he—is he…" Bella stammered, her self assured manner clearly still not in place as she tried to understand what was happening.

"I don't know Bella; I haven't had a chance to check on him just yet. First I need you to give me the gun ok?" Bobby continued to inch forward, he put his own gun in his waist band, holding his hand out to show her he meant no harm. Part of him wanted the woman to suffer for what she'd done, but he also understood this wasn't her doing. At least not all of it; he'd deal with the Colt issue after everything was sorted out. Unfortunately, the girl in front of him had other ideas.

"Stay away! Sam's right, I'm selfish. I should have listened to him—but now it's too late…." Bella quickly pointed the gun at her temple. "Don't worry Bobby; I'll save you and Dean the trouble…"

TBC

Raven524: Ok, so lets take a poll—how many want her to pull the trigger?


	5. Chapter 5 Back to the Status Quo

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**THE CUPID EFFECT**

**Chapter 5 – Back to Status Quo**

Bobby rushed forward, grabbing the girl's gun arm just as the sound of the gun echoed through the room. It was almost like time had stood still, no one moved the only sound was the loud ticking of the clock on the wall. For a moment, he thought he might have been too late, but a quick review showed no blood, no gaping wound on the distraught woman's head.

"Girl, I swear if you don't settle down I'm gonna hog tie you!" Bobby quickly placed the gun out of Bella's reach. His eyes noticed she still hadn't moved her body still as a statue. "Come on Bella, you need to sit down before you fall down. I don't have anymore time to waste on your foolishness—I've got to look after Sam."

The old hunter grabbed the reticent girl and pushed her down onto the sofa, his eyes hard and unforgiving as he once more ordered her to stay put. Bella swallowed nervously, but appeared to be willing to obey for the moment. Keeping her in his line of sight, Bobby moved towards the two Winchester brothers. Dean seemed to be lost in the moment, his eyes vacant and unseeing as he rocked the unmoving body of his brother in his arms.

"No…" Bobby whispered, almost afraid to move closer. It couldn't end this way, not after Dean had given so much. He had watched the boy disintegrate when Sam died once before. This time he knew there would be nothing left to put back together. Giving Bella one more hard glare he knelt next to Sam and reached forward, fingers searching for the pulse that would give life to both men.

"Thank God—Dean? Boy, you need to snap out of it! Your brother needs you!" Bobby ordered, waiting for the boy to respond. A moment later the vacant stare was replaced with hope, hands moved to where Bobby's had been moments before, finding the same answer.

"He's alive?" Dean spoke softly, almost as if he was afraid to say it out loud.

"Of course he is boy--now move aside so I can see the damage." Bobby gently laid Sam on his back, shaking his head at the amount of blood already pooling on the carpet. The boy was alive for now, but if they didn't stop the bleeding, it wouldn't last long.

Dean seemed to have come to himself as he too saw the amount of blood. Rising from his position he moved towards the kitchen, returning a moment later with a hand full of towels. Without a word, both men worked as a team. The bloodied shirt was removed, showing the innocuous looking hole in Sam's shoulder. Dean used a towel to clear the blood away, fingers gently probing to determine the damage.

"There's too much blood for this size wound Bobby, help me pull him up." Dean bit his lower lip between his teeth as his eyes searched for the exit wound.

"Well there's your answer Dean. The good news is we won't need to search for the damn bullet…." Bobby glanced at Bella again, making sure she hadn't moved before looking back to Dean.

"Yeah, but it left a large hole in his back and who knows how much internal damage; Damn it Bobby I can't even take him to a hospital to get it checked out!" Bobby watched as Dean's eyes traveled to the woman sitting on the sofa. Before he could stop him, the oldest Winchester had the woman by the arms and was shaking her like a dog with a bone.

"Dean! Dean…boy! I need you here, not is some damn jail cell for killing the likes of her. She's not worth your time!" Bobby continued to cradle the unconscious boy in his arms, unwilling for the moment to lose the connection. He needed to keep control, get Dean refocused before they all suffered. "I mean it Dean, get your behind over here and help me with your brother. Bella can wait!"

He watched as Dean backed up, cold green eyes staring at the cowering woman in front of him. "I told you what would happen if my brother died—you better start praying, assuming you know how—that my brother makes it or I will be coming back to finish this. Do you understand me?"

Bobby watched as Bella began to pull herself back together, her shoulders straightening as she pushed Dean's hands away from her. "I understand that you and your friend are trespassing—you have exactly ten minutes to get out before I call the police."

"Unbelievable!" Dean huffed.

"Dean you come here and take care of Sam—I'll handle Bella!" Bobby ordered as he gently laid his charge back onto the expensive carpet. He moved quickly towards the woman who once more began to back away from the two men. Before she could escape, he grabbed her around the elbow and marched her towards the stairs. "You and me are going to have a little chat about priorities—and you best pay attention 'cause _I don't_ repeat myself and _I don't_ make threats!"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean watched as Bobby practically dragged the bitch out of the room. The rage he had felt a moment before forgotten as his eyes landed on the too still form of his brother. "Sammy!" Dean once again knelt on the floor, grabbing the towels.

His mind thought back to the moment he'd heard the shot and saw his brother fall. He was once again in an old abandoned building, his brother lying on a stained mattress devoid of life. He wasn't sure how many more times he would be able to go through this. The reality of the situation had finally hit him. The deal had saved Sam yes, but in the end it had not guaranteed his brother would be able to survive.

How could he protect his brother if he was gone? Even with him still here, his brother was a target for too many things—some even human. Sam was right, he had been selfish. He never thought it through. Sam would be left behind to fend for himself in a world turned against him. Bobby would try to look out for Sam, but in the end he knew it wouldn't end well for his brother.

Sighing, he continued to put pressure on the wound staunching the flow of his brother's life force while he waited for Bobby to return. He hoped the old hunter did more than talk to the bitch. This was the second time she'd shot his brother. A small chuckle escaped as he checked the bleeding. "Well Sammy, at least she hit the other shoulder this time. You now have a matched set…"

A soft groan alerted Dean to his brother's coming awareness. "Sammy?"

"Dea…" Hazel eyes blinked, unfocused and filled with pain. But to Dean they were the best thing he'd ever seen.

"I'm right here Sam, you've been shot—again." Dean smiled as he saw his brother's eyes roll.

"Shoulder?" Sam ground out, his head turning to look before he closed his eyes once more; a soft moan escaping bloodless lips as Dean continued to press down on the wound.

"Yeah, no big deal right? A few stitches and maybe a pint of some Dean Winchester special and you'll be good to go." Dean watched closely as a soft grin tugged at his brother's lips. "How about we get you up off the floor and onto the nice soft sofa over there—come on Sasquach!"

Dean grunted as he helped his brother over to the sofa, wincing in sympathy as Sam moaned softly again. He knew it had to hurt like a mother, but right now it was music to his ears. It meant his brother was back with him and he was going to make sure he didn't go anywhere soon.

"Can you hold this Sam? I need to run out to the Impala and get the med kit…" Dean watched as Sam nodded; his eyes glassy with pain and probably the beginning of a fever. "Good, stay awake—I'll be right back."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby grabbed the telephone chord from the phone as he pushed the woman onto the bed. "Don't move!" he ordered as he quickly tied her hands and feet. He smiled as he watched her struggling on the bed.

"I told you I'd hog tie you if you didn't behave. Remember I don't threaten. Now listen to me and listen close girl. There is a war going on here, one that if we lose will mean none of this…" Bobby waved his hands around the room, "will mount to a hill 'o beans."

"You're crazy old man; money can buy me anything—keep me safe while the rest of you are fighting a battle that can't be won." Bella ground out, glaring at the hunter as she continued to struggle against the chords holding her fast.

"You so sure about that Bella? You willing to become a meat suit for one of the demons—'cause that's all you'll be, a piece of meat to be used and discarded. Maybe Dean's right, maybe I should end this now before you do something else stupid." Bobby moved closer, pulling his knife from his belt.

"Wait! Wait…now Bobby, you know I can help you. Why you'd still be trapped in your dream world if I hadn't brought that plant to the boys. How was I to know the gun was so valuable to your 'cause. I mean the buyer just wants it for her collection…" Bella tried to move away, but the old hunter grabbed her by the hair and placed the tip of the knife to her throat.

"You best choose a side now girl. I'm through messin' with you. You will stay away from the hunting world; go back to Tibet or where ever it is you've been hiding these past years. If I see or even hear of you taking one more artifact or cause any grief to those who are fighting so you can remain free—I'll finish what I started. Do we understand each other?" Bobby, smiled as a small amount of blood ran down her throat from the shallow cut he'd made. He could feel her trembling and knew from the way her shoulders sagged, he'd gotten his message across.

"Oh and I will need two more things from you…" Bobby removed the knife and patted the woman on the shoulder before standing up.

"What?" Bella croaked.

"First, you're going to give me the name and address of the buyer for the Colt…" Bobby held up his hand as Bella started to object. "And then, you're going to do something to make up for the trouble you've caused those boys."

"What could you possible want?" Bella asked quietly, a slight twinge of guilt in her voice as she looked up at the irate hunter.

"You're going to use your other world contacts to help identify who is holding Dean's contract. I'll expect you to call me with the information as soon as you have it, understand?" Bobby leaned in, letting her see the seriousness in his eyes.

"Then we'll be even right?" Bella asked, moving back from the man in front of her.

"No—you'll never be even after what you pulled this time, but at least you'll be on your way to making it right." Bobby sighed as he stepped back. He headed for the doorway before pausing briefly. "I'll call someone to let you loose once me and the boys are gone—that is unless you manage to get yourself free before then. But let me warn you, if I see you downstairs or if you attempt to call anyone…" Bobby nodded at the look of acceptance on the woman's face.

"Remember, I'll be expectin' a call with that info real soon…"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam hissed as he felt white hot pain running down his shoulder. "Take it easy Dean!"

Dean continued to pour the antiseptic into the open wound, blotting it with a clean towel until he thought it was cleaned. "We don't need you getting an infection Sammy, so suck it up."

Closing his eyes, Sam wondered what the hell had happened. The last thing he remembered was waking up with…"Oh God…" Sam muttered, his face turning crimson as he realized who he'd been with and worse yet, his big brother knew it.

"So, you still want Bella to be a member of the family there Sammy? Maybe I should have her come down here and kiss your boo boo…" Dean asked as he packed the wound and began to bandage it. Sam knew his brother would wait until they were safe before he'd stitch his wound, something he definitely wasn't looking forward to at the moment.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sam asked, confused as the first part of Dean's sentence hit him. His eyes fell on the small box on the floor before looking up at his brother's face. "I didn't…did I?" He asked quietly, trying to figure out how on earth he'd ended up with her in the first place. Sam groaned, not only from the pain in his shoulder, but the knowledge he'd been sleeping with the 'enemy'. Dean was never going to let him live this down.

A soft chuckle caused him to open his eyes. Dean was putting things away in the med kit. "You know Sam, if you want to spend some more quality time with your woman upstairs, I'm sure Bobby and I can find something to do…"

"Give it a rest Dean!" Sam winced as he tried to sit up. A gentle hand braced him, helping him to sit. His eyes closed as a wave of vertigo assaulted him. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and hopefully wake up to find it was all just some weird nightmare. He began to list sideways, but was stopped by his brother's hand once again.

"No sleeping just yet Sam. I'm going to immobilize that shoulder and then get you dressed. I'm thinking we will head out as soon as Bobby gets done talking to Bella." Sam sighed as he tried to stay awake.

"Ah…Dean? What about the hunt—did you find out what was killing those other couples?" Sam asked, trying to keep his mind off the waves of pain in his shoulder as Dean worked to immobilize his arm.

"In a way, you solved the puzzle for us Sammy. Seem like you were hit by Cupid's arrow…" Dean chuckled again as he pulled Sam's button down shirt over him, buttoning the first couple of buttons to keep in on.

Sam's eyes popped open. "Dean, what the hell are you talking about?" His brother had to be pulling his chain. Cupid isn't real—is he?

Dean sighed. "I wish it wasn't—seems another pagan god decided to pay us a visit. Bobby figured it out actually. Luckily the love potion wore off at midnight on Valentines' Day. At least I hope it did…" His brother's gaze suddenly was uncertain and worried.

"I'm fine Dean—at least as fine as I can be with a bullet wound." Sam sighed, wondering why the damn thing had targeted him instead of Dean. He was the Romeo in the outfit. Of course, maybe that's why…

"Appears the god enjoys targeting those who are least likely to fall in love—he must get his jollies watching the fall out from the trysts. But what I don't understand is why it became deadly this time. I mean, I read back and there was no hint of this type of thing happening in the recent past. Sure the guy liked to play pranks and cause a little mischief…" Dean shook his head, obviously just grateful Sam had managed to come through unscathed.

"I don't know Dean, maybe it has something to do with the devil's gate being opened. You don't suppose Cupid is really a demon do you?" Sam asked, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to keep the room from spinning.

"Who knows Sammy, lots of freaky shit is happening now—maybe Cupid was possessed. Hey, I wonder if you can do an exorcism on a god?" Dean sat next to Sam as they waited for Bobby to appear.

"You two ready to get out of here?" Bobby called as he came down the stairs. "I for one have had enough of this area for a while. I'm headin' home—you two comin' with?"

Dean shook his head. "No, I think we're going to keep moving Bobby. I'll hole up for a few days to let Romeo here rest up."

Bobby stood on the other side of Sam, helping Dean hold him up as the room started to spin again. "Ah…guys, can we get somewhere soon—I think I'm going to…" He never got to finish the sentence as the world around him turned dark. For the second time that day, he fell into his brother's arms.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean watched Sam closely as they traveled further away from the town. He knew his brother was weak from blood loss and probably would spike a fever, but the last time the fever had started a soon as they left the house. He sighed with relief as his hand told him Sam was a little warm, but nothing like last time. "Well it looks like the old man was right after all…" Dean muttered as he turned on the music low. He didn't want to wake his slumbering sibling.

He pulled the blanket up further, tucking it around his brother. They had grabbed a pillow and the throw from the sofa to help keep Sam warm. Even with the blanket and the heater his brother was still shivering slightly. Once again, he was hoping it was from the blood loss and nothing more serious. Who would have thought going to the hospital would be considered a luxury—and one they could rarely use. However, if his brother got worse, he'd figure out a way to make it work, losing Sam was not an option even if it meant jail time for him. Besides, with less than a year—how bad could it be?

The older Winchester decided he was going to drive for a few hours. The bleeding in Sam's shoulder had stopped and with the pain pills they had managed to get down his brother's throat before they left, he should sleep comfortably until they could get a hotel. He still wondered what Bobby had done to Bella. There had been no sign of her before they left, not even a snide comment to send them on their way. He only hoped it was the last time he'd set eyes on the woman.

After driving for a few hours, he heard a soft groan beside him. "Ok Sammy, time to find a place to stay for a few days—and thanks to Uncle Bobby, we can upgrade to get you a nice comfy bed." Dean hadn't wanted to take the money, but the old man had insisted—either that or he threatened to toss Sam in his truck and take him home with him. He smiled; sometimes it was almost like having his father back—almost.

Dean saw the perfect motel as he exited the freeway; it advertised weekend getaways and large rooms. Glancing at Sam, he smiled as his brother curled further into the blankets. Reaching over, he gently tapped his brother on the shoulder. He didn't want him waking up to find him gone. "Hey there sleepyhead…"

"Wha—where—Dean?" Sam mumbled, hazel eyes looking at him tiredly.

"I'm going to get us a room and then we'll get you taken care of. Just sit tight; I'll be right back…" Before Dean finished the sentence Sam's eyes had already closed and the blanket had been pulled up tighter.

An hour later and Dean was ready for a break. Sam had been barely aware of the room as he had practically carried his little brother into the room. At least it made stitching his wound easier and so far he was only running a low grade fever. The biggest problem was getting Sam to stay awake long enough to take some medicine and to get fluids into him. With the blood loss, Dean knew it was important to get as much into Sam as he could. Unfortunately, Sam had other ideas as he fell unconscious before drinking all of the sports drink.

Dean grinned as he looked at his brother, he had been a little disappointed when Sam didn't register anything about the room. But when he'd asked for their biggest room---this was it. He was glad now he'd booked it for a whole week. It was even worth the strange looks he received from the hotel staff. He couldn't wait until Sam became fully aware; it was going to be priceless.

Chuckling, he sat in the oversized chair in the room and grabbed the TV remote. _"Yes, it was going to be an interesting awakening that's for sure_," Dean thought to himself as he started to watch the latest episode of Ghost Hunters. Shaking his head, he sometimes wondered where the writers got this stuff.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The older man servant stood off to the side in the large room. The house was old and had seen better days, but it suited its current owner. The air shimmered for a brief moment before a young man appeared. He was well built with blonde hair and sky blue eyes. As the stranger approached the child sitting in the chair near the fireplace, he paused before clearing his throat.

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"I thought you said you could handle the Winchester boy—did the bait not draw him in?" a soft childlike voice answered.

"No, they took the bait—it should have worked. The woman was perfect for the job, and the young hunter was fully enamored. But you know the rules; I cannot influence the humans beyond midnight on Valentines' Day. Psyche made me promise and I have never broken that promise in all the millennia. I don't understand why this one human is so important to you—he didn't seem that special to me." The god named Cupid moved to stand in front of the being he'd befriended during one of his trips to Hades.

"It is enough that I wanted him destroyed, you don't need to understand the why. You disappoint me Eros; I would have thought the blood of your father would have made you a stronger warrior." The child looked at the god, her eyes turning opaque before a blinding light filled the room.

When the servant could finally see again, the god known as Cupid was no longer present. "Lilith, where has he gone?"

"I've sent him home to his precious wife, we don't need him. I'll get to the youngest Winchester another way…"

"But the gun, it was also lost to us…" The man continued, sweating now as he was to procure the weapon for his master. He had seen her angry and it scared him.

"No matter, by the time I finish with the Winchesters—they'll be dead and I'll be ruling this new world. But mark me—one more failure and you will get to hell ahead of them." The child rose and left the room, leaving the man servant shaking in her wake.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam groaned, his shoulder ached enough to make the thought of moving unpleasant. Unfortunately, his bladder had other ideas. He didn't remember much about the past couple of days except for his brother forcing him to drink gallons of sport drink, soup and take the pain pills. As he sat up, he wondered for a moment where his brother had disappeared to. It was unusual for him not to be hovering around Sam.

"Dean?" Sam called out, surprised at how weak his voice sounded. He heard the bathroom door open, followed by a cloud of steam.

"Hey Sammy, where do you think you're going?" Dean said as he walked quickly into the room. He changed into some clean clothes before sitting beside Sam on the bed.

"Bathroom…I think I can…" Before Sam could finish the thought his brother was helping him stand and guiding him to the room he'd just vacated. Normally he would have just shrugged his brother's offer of assistance off, but the room was swaying alarmingly around him.

"Do you need some help Sam or can you manage?" Dean watched him closely, making sure he was steady before stepping back.

"I think I've got it Dean…" Sam whispered as he prayed he could. The alternative was too embarrassing to contemplate. As he finished up, his eyes took in the large bathroom. He could see the shower big enough for two people along with an oversized Jacuzzi tub. "Hey Dean?"

"You ready to get back to bed Sammy?" Dean asked as he came back into the bathroom.

"Ah…did you win the lottery or something?" Sam glanced back at the luxurious bathroom with a raised eyebrow.

"Naw, Uncle Bobby threatened to take you back to his place unless I put you up somewhere nice for a few days. So I got us the largest room this place had—wait until you try the steam shower, it's awesome Dude!" Dean grinned as he placed Sam's good arm over his shoulders and gently nudged Sam towards the door. "But you'll have to wait a day or two for that--wouldn't want you falling and denting that enormous head of yours lover boy!"

Sam groaned, he wondered how long it would be before Dean started in on him. Maybe if he was really quiet and went back to sleep—by the time he would wake up again; maybe his brother will have forgotten the past few days. But as Sam felt himself being lowered to the bed, he realized hell would probably have to freeze over first.

"As long as you're up Sammy, I'm going to make you something to eat. You haven't had much the past few days…how about a nice grilled cheese sandwich and some soup?" Dean helped Sam sit up, fluffing the pillows behind him and placing another pillow under his injured arm. He kept giving Sam a funny look, but before he could ask about it, his big brother looked way.

"What?" Sam asked irritably, he was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"Nothing…I'll be right back Romeo!" Dean chuckled as he walked towards the small kitchenette in the room.

Sam sighed, wondering how long it would be before his brother got tired—or ran out of nicknames. He let his head fall back onto the satin pillows, realizing for the first time that the sheets were also satin—red satin to be exact. As he began to close his eyes, he suddenly sat up straight on the bed…"DEAN!"

"What is it Sammy?" Dean walked back out, the gin on his face reminded Sam of the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

"What the hell is this?" Sam spread his good arm out from his body.

"It's a bed Sam, now I think I'll get back to making your lunch—after all it takes a little longer to cut the bread into those nice little heart shapes you love." Dean giggled as he watched the crimson flush spread up his brother's neck to his face.

"Dean, this is not a bed—this is—this is shaped like a freakin' heart!" Sam's eyes traveled upwards once more, noticing for the first time the mirror centered over the bed. Suddenly his arm didn't hurt so much anymore. He started to move towards the edge of the bed to get up. "I'm leaving…"

Dean laughed out loud before moving to gently push Sam back onto the bed. "Come on Sammy, it was the biggest room they had—can I help it if it's the honeymoon suite?"

The eye roll said it all…

The End!

Raven524: As promised, just a short story---hope you all enjoyed my little Valentine's Gift to you all. Thanks again for all the support!


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